Well, today I’m feeling re-affirmed in our decision NOT to vaccinate our daughter (now 17 months old). There are just so many things wrong with vaccines! This recent case of the FDA recalling the Rotavirus vaccine just shows how murky the “safety” is of vaccines. My heart goes out to everyone who’s child has been injured by vaccines! It’s just not right that so many doctors (who are supposed to look out for our children’s health) continue to recommend these very unsafe “prevention” measures.
The FDA shuts down common infant vaccine after startling discovery

The other night we were visiting with relatives and one of the other guests brought a dessert along. As she was raving about how healthy it was I was burning up inside! Why? Because she thought she had made the dessert better for us by making it with low-fat, sugar-free, imitation food products. It absolutely drives me crazy how pervasive the myth is that FAT is bad for you! I’ve been seriously thinking about hand-painting a sign in our kitchen that reads, “Viva la fat” but my husband apparently doesn’t think it’s as brilliant as I do.

With all of the low-fat propaganda going around I find it refreshing whenever I find a book that shines the spotlight on the truth… that stands up for good fats like butter, coconut oil and lard and says “no-way” to margarine, refined vegetable oils and “new-fangled fats” (as Sally Fallon calls them). I’ve recently read two books that do just that. “Eat Fat, Lose Fat” by Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon is one of them and the second is, “Real Food for Mother and Baby” by Nina Planck.

Nina conveys important nutritional concepts in a conversational style that makes it easy to read. While I still love “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon it can tend to sound more like a textbook than Nina’s book. She’s also written “Real Food: What to eat and why” but I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. In “Real Food for Mother and Baby” she not only lays the foundation for sound nutrition but she gives important information relating to fertility and what to feed infants. What we eat BEFORE pregnancy has a profound affect on the health of our future babies. So many health problems that arise during pregnancy and birth can be prevented with good nutrition coupled with an active lifestyle. So, even if you’re only thinking about getting pregnant get this book before you try to conceive!

As far as baby’s first foods there is a lot of misinformation being propagated by medical professionals. My understanding is that doctors and nurses receive very little training in nutrition. In fact, our own family doctor (who knows I pursue alternative health) asked me what I had found were the best first foods for my youngest daughter. She voluntarily admitted that “we (medical professionals) really don’t have much information about that.” Nina clears that all up and gives evidence-based advice on what is best for baby to eat. This is one of those books that I wish I could give every couple planning on raising a family.

Cholesterol is an issue that is of great interest to me. Not only am I personally affected by it but several close to me are as well. Here are two articles that get to the truth about cholesterol and what actually causes heart disease. It may not be what you think.

Vaccines… are they good or bad? That’s an issue we hear debated a lot but it can be hard to get any concrete info on it. There are so many books out there on the subject and everyone seems to have their opinion. Since having another daughter my husband and I were forced to make a decision about the issue. After reading several books and websites I was leaning one way but wasn’t totally SURE about it. This all changed when I read the “Vaccine Safety Manual for Concerned Families and Health Practitioners” by Neil Z. Miller.

This book is FULL of research and statistics on vaccines. It describes each disease and how dangerous it is, explains the vaccines used and their effectiveness and gives the history of how the disease has been treated through time. This is absolutely the BEST book I have read on the issue of vaccines! It supplied all the information I was looking for and enabled me to make a well informed decision that I can feel confident about. I absolutely recommend this book to EVERY parent! This is a must read that you can’t afford to miss!

If you live in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area you should know about the Genesis Health and Wellness Fair this Saturday, March 28th from 10am to 3pm. This free event will feature over 50 exhibitors as well as several workshops by holistic & natural health experts. There will even be some events for kids! I have connections with several of the exhibitors so I’m super excited about going! My midwife will even be one of the exhibitors! I think it will be great not only to get more information concerning health but also just to be around like-minded people. Living a natural lifestyle can be lonely sometimes in our current culture. It will be good to be with others who value whole foods, holistic health & sustainable living.